As many of you will know, Tim Loughton MP’s Civil Partnerships, Marriages & Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill will receive its second reading this Friday 2nd February. This is the most important moment yet: It is the moment when the Government has to put its cards on the table and say whether or not it will finally support equal civil partnerships. The good news is that we now have official support from Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens, as well as lots of Conservative support (after all, the Bill is being proposed by a Tory MP!). But ultimately the issue will be decided by the Government. The indications are that - while the Government dare not oppose the principle of equality altogether - it may yet try to draw out the issue, or even kick it into the long grass. So if you haven’t emailed your MP yet to ask them to support Tim’s bill, please do so NOW. You can use this website to send them a message: https://www.theyworkforyou.com Even better, call them on 020 7219 3000 (the House of Commons switchboard) and ask them directly to support the bill. Don’t forget to tell them: - Equal civil partnerships is fair: It can’t be right that some people get to choose between civil partnerships and marriage, while others do not. - Equal civil partnerships will be popular: There are 3.3 million unmarried couples in the UK and 9,000 people in each constituency who would benefit from this legislation. According to Populus, three times as many people support the extension of civil partnerships to all as would want to maintain the status quo or abolish them altogether. - Equal Civil Partnership protect the vulnerable: Whatever the reasons why couples choose not to marry, civil partnerships give a means to protect their children and both partners, should one die or they separate. However you choose to approach your MP, please do it WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. This might be our one opportunity to introduce equal civil partnerships. Thank you again for all your ongoing support. Together we can make this change happen. Rebecca and Charles